Does this knife have a chisel grind? How easy is it to sharpen? What sharpening system works best for you with this knife?

It's a dual flat 1/2 grind at about 17-20 degrees per side. A chisel grind, which some Japanese makers use, is only ground on one side and the other is flat. This is ground on both sides, and is pretty easy to sharpen. The first grind has a slight recurve, but not enough to make it difficult. The other grind is a long, slightly arcing belly that ends at the tip. I use a basic, cheap Lansky sharpener with the coarse, medium, and fine stones, the Lansky Standard sharpening 'system' that comes with a clamp and bevel guides that make it more or less impossible to screw up. There are much better ones, like the Wicked Edge sharpening kits, and Lansky sells other sets with a better variety and quality of stones. AUS-8 steel is pretty mediocre steel, but it takes a pretty good edge. I've heard edge retention is a problem, but I haven't used it enough to tell. The blade comes out of the box fairly sharp. I notice other people have had their knives show up dull; consistency is obviously an issue. I've sharpened other AUS-8 knives, and the profile is pretty simple for sharpening, but for a really sharp edge at a reasonable price, Spyderco's lightweight VG-10 Japanese models, like the 'Endura', 'Police', or 'Matriarch', are good options, albeit without the assisted opening.

how come there so many reviewers having problems with the outburst mechanism?

I've had no problems with the opening system, and I have fairly large hands; the motion to engage the 'outburst' system is not the instinctive push away from the handle, but more of an upward, diagonal one. From some of the other comments I've read, however, it sounds like there is a problem with the hardware, not the technique. It's a pretty stiff mechanism, and there is a lot of force generated by the torsion bar, but it should never take two hands to open or close this knife, unless you have sausage fingers. Loosening the pivot screw by 30 degrees (or 5 minutes/seconds) with a T8 torx bit often helps, just don't loosen it to the point where blade-play starts (where the blade has side-to-side/up-and-down movement in the locked position).

does this one function like a switchblade?

Yes it is a very reliable switchblade. With a little practice all you need is your thumb to Open fully and quickly

Can the pocket clip be switched sides?

Yes, it can, but I haven't tried it. The pocket clip fits into a slightly recessed half-elliptical shape that matches the head of the clip perfectly, so it's flush with the surface. On the opposite side of the knife, there is an identical recess, with a screw that is used to loosen and tighten the clip when you want to switch it, using a hexagonal Allen-wrench, since the screw head affixing the clip side is completely smooth, likely a threaded female socket that the hex-head screw tightens into. I'd try it, but I'm 99.999% certain and I'm too lazy to go looking for my allen wrenches.

Recommended Uses For Product	Fighting
Brand	CRKT
Model Name	2903
Special Feature	Locking Blades
Age Range (Description)	Adult
Included Components	CRKT 2903, Pamphlet
Handle Material	Glass Reinforced Nylon
Color	Black
Blade Material	Stainless Steel
Blade Length	3.88 Inches
Product Care Instructions	Hand Wash Only
Hand Orientation	Ambidextrous
Item Weight	2.39 Ounces
Blade Shape	Tanto Point
Blade Edge	Plain
Reusability	Reusable
Item Length	8.75 Inches
Global Trade Identification Number	00794023290301, 04045011042379
Shape	Tanto
Size	3.9"
Manufacturer	Columbia River Knife & Tool
UPC	732773493849 014891370999 345348689358 693529224042 977175691831 710551728727 012300302913 794023290301
Part Number	2903
Item Weight	2.39 ounces
Item model number	2903
Is Discontinued By Manufacturer	No
Finish	Coated
Material	AUS 8 Blade, Glass Reinforced Nylon Handle
Item Package Quantity	1
Number Of Pieces	1
Measurement System	Imperial
Special Features	Locking Blades
Usage	Inside, Outside
Batteries Included?	No
Batteries Required?	No
Warranty Description	Limited Lifetime Warranty

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